With Canada set to reimpose cap on working hours, international students worry about paying for tuition, living expenses
CTV
Canada is set to reimpose the cap on the number of hours that international students can work off campus. But with heightened cost-of-living concerns in Canada, many international students say they're not sure how they'll be able to afford their tuition and living expenses if they can't work full-time.
Canada is set to reimpose the cap on the number of hours that international students can work off-campus. But with heightened cost-of-living concerns in Canada, many international students say they're not sure how they'll be able to afford their tuition and living expenses if they can't work full-time.
In November 2022, the federal government launched a pilot project that removed the cap on the number of off-campus hours international students can work.
The pilot project was a temporary measure designed to address labour shortages in the Canadian economy and is set to expire on Dec. 31, 2023, which means international students will once again be limited to working 20 hours per week starting next year.
CTVNews.ca asked international students working full-time hours how they plan to pay for their tuition and living expenses while working fewer hours. The emailed responses have not been independently verified.
Ottawa resident Omar Fetouh, who is currently studying architectural engineering at Carleton University, has been balancing schoolwork while working full-time hours in construction --- an industry that's facing a severe shortage of skilled labour. But with the impending end of the pilot project, he says he's not sure how he'll support himself.
"I have been fortunate enough to secure a position in my field of study, thanks to the temporary policy allowing me to work full-time. This has not only provided me with valuable professional experience but has also allowed me to contribute to the construction industry," he told CTVNews.ca in an email.
"Without the ability to work full-time in my field, I find myself in a precarious financial situation, which not only hinders my academic pursuits but also diminishes my ability to contribute meaningfully to the Canadian economy."
